I decided to take advantage of my free time before classes start AND the continuing good weather over here to do a bit of traveling. With Dominika as my traveling companion, I've visited 3 of the 8 daytrip cities listed in the back of my guide book! Yay, check marks abound!
We started the week off with Fontainebleau, a somewhat lesser-known castle about an hour outside Paris. French kings have used the area around the chateau as hunting grounds since the 12th century, but Fontainebleau was more recently the site of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685) and the births and marriages of several French kings. In 1814, Napoleon signed his abdication here and bid farewell to his troops (and Empire) in the central courtyard, now called the Cour Des Adieux (aww...). It was a low-key adventure; we spent the first part of the day exploring the relatively uncrowded grounds, gardens, and castle before dining in a cafe in the city itself. Photo-time!
Next up was Giverny. It is said that Monet saw the village of Giverny while passing it on a train and decided right away that he wanted to live there. I can imagine why -- walking down the quiet cobble-stone streets really was like going back in time (and was definitely a relief from the pace of Paris!). Monet moved here with his 8 children in 1883, and many fellow artists followed suit, effectively turning the town into an artist's colony. His old house is now a museum to his life and work, retaining many of his furnishings. The huge garden attracts as many bees and butterflies as it does visitors, and sitting quietly by the lily pond, it felt as if we'd stepped into one of Monet's paintings. What a beautiful day:
Wednesday was a day of academic-figuring-out -- I got a LOT accomplished (uh, I think), but also encountered a couple truly frustrating people -- details about which I will spare you! It's stressful to feel like I don't really know what's going on, but I find solace in the fact that even most professors at Paris III do not yet have their schedules! So it's not just me...French students are clueless as well. Hooray for bureaucracy!
Thursday: Versailles. I am sad to say that this was one of my LEAST favorite outings so far. The weather was indecisive, yet there were still hordes of people, and the employees at the castle seriously need a vacation. Unlike at Fontainebleau and Giverny, I had a pretty hard time tapping in to the ambiance and getting a feel for what this place felt like to Louis XIV, et al. However, the scale of Versailles should be enough to impress even the most weary tourist. You all know what it looks like, but here are some photos anyway:
It was a rather laid-back weekend...by which I mean: I was never awake for more than 16 consecutive hours. Saturday night was Laurence's birthday party. Attendees included Laurence, Maurice, Camille, and myself, as well as Laurence's daughter Hélène and her husband Jean-Phillipe and HIS two children Philipine and Axèle (girl and boy, respectively...French names are pretty confusing), their 3-year-old daughter Athina (pronounced Atina), and Laurence's oldest child, David. Much of Saturday was spent in preparation; I helped Laurence with two berry-filled cakes (yum!) and later sliced cucumbers, avocado (!), mozzarella and cherry tomatoes for Maurice's salad.
We started the evening with appetizers: Monster Munch (ostensibly for the kids, although the adults nibbled on it as well), small bread slices with a tuna spread (paté? I'm still confused by all the names, especially since I don't really cook), and small cups of deliciousness which I believe were procured at Picard, a store which sells only frozen goods which you either cook or, in many cases, simply leave to thaw a few hours before you want to eat. It's pretty weird to walk into a supermarket with nothing but freezers, but by all accounts, this is just another bizarre-but-awesome French novelty.
Of course, we started the evening with 2 bottles of champagne. Since only 5 of us were drinking (David doesn't drink), that made for about 3 glasses each. Then there was a full bottle of red with the salad, another bottle with the main course (lamb and rice), and a third bottle for the cheese ("Laurence limited me to 5 cheeses!" Maurice lamented). That makes five bottles for an average of one bottle per person. Thank goodness we were eating! How the French do it, I can only hope to discover. Meanwhile, I tried to stay quiet so as not to embarrass myself! Anyway, it was a very enjoyable meal in good company. As it turns out, Jean-Phillipe is half-Italian, and speaks the language (although we stuck to French at the table - I believe I correctly fielded all questions directed my way. I am quickly learning the art of using context clues to guess what might have just been asked. The frustrating thing, at this point, is more my lack of vocabulary than anything else. Anyone know of a good book for every-day French vocab?). Unfortunately, the only photos I got documented the aftermath we all woke up to this morning (or, ahem, this afternoon):
Athina took quite a liking to me, it seems. I guess it's a pretty good sign when a 3-year-old can understand you, since I wouldn't assume she's very experienced with non-native speakers. Then again, playing with her was another reminder of how many words I simply do not know! Children have their own separate vocabulary.
For more pictures of my travels, including coverage of the "Authentic Houston" restaurant we discovered in Fontainebleau, click here.
For pictures of my solo wanderings this week (St. Germain des Pres/Odeon), click here.
I guess that's enough for now. If the weather holds up, I'll make a couple more daytrips next week while continuing to wage my battle against the french university administration. Wish me luck!
Happy Monday,
Alina :)
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